Omnibus & Price-Reduction Rules in Greece
Omnibus DirectiveIf your online store advertises price reductions to consumers in Greece, the EU Omnibus Directive sets the rules you must follow. This is Directive (EU) 2019/2161, which has applied across the Union since 28 May 2022. It tightens how discounts are presented, adds transparency duties around reviews and rankings, and has been transposed into Greek law and enforced nationally. This guide explains what the directive asks of sellers and how it reaches the Greek market.
An EU rule, applied under Greek law
The Omnibus Directive harmonises consumer-protection rules across the EU, but each member state transposes it into national law. Greece has given the Omnibus changes effect through its own consumer-protection framework. The core rule is the same across the EU; what is national is the statute, the enforcement context and the Greek language consumers expect. For the underlying rules, see our Omnibus law page and the complete Omnibus guide.
The 30-day lowest-prior-price rule
The central change concerns how a price reduction is shown. When you announce a discount, the reference or “before” price must be the lowest price you applied to that product in the 30 days before the reduction. The aim is to prevent inflated reference prices that make a discount appear larger than it is. A percentage off or a struck-through figure should be measured against this genuine prior low.
Reviews, rankings and marketplace transparency
The Omnibus rules go beyond pricing. Consider these recurring themes for a Greek store:
- Consumer reviews: explain whether and how you verify that reviews come from genuine purchasers.
- Ranking transparency: disclose the main parameters that determine how you rank search results.
- Paid placement: make clear where advertising or payment influences a product’s position.
How the Greek market experiences the rule
For Greek consumers, the practical effect is that a discount must be honest against the recent price history of the item. Greece has established sale seasons and lively promotional activity, so the 30-day rule is most relevant around campaign periods where prices move. Setting the correct reference price when a promotion begins is far simpler than defending a claim after the fact.
Language and communication
Price information and reduction claims should reach Greek consumers in Greek, so the reference price, the reduction and any conditions are genuinely clear. Accurate, plain wording reduces the risk of a claim being read as misleading and helps build trust with Greek shoppers.
National enforcement
In Greece, consumer-protection matters are overseen by the General Secretariat for Consumer Affairs within the responsible ministry. This body supervises how businesses present offers to consumers, including price-reduction announcements, and is the relevant national reference point for how the Omnibus pricing rules are applied. Sellers should treat it as the authority to consult on the current Greek position.
A practical checklist for Greek sales
- Base every “before” price on the lowest price applied in the prior 30 days.
- Keep price-history records so any reduction claim can be justified.
- Be transparent about reviews, rankings and paid placement.
- Communicate price and reduction information clearly, in Greek.
For more on the market, see our Greece country page. Because national specifics can change, treat the details here as a qualitative starting point and confirm the current position with the General Secretariat for Consumer Affairs before relying on it.
This article is educational, not legal advice.